Ball valves are used in many applications to regulate the flow of a substance, such as gas or fluid. After a period of use, however, ball valves may need to be removed to be serviced or replaced. This may require shutting down the entire system which the ball valve is apart to prevent leakage of the substance when the ball valve is removed. In addition to being an inconvenience, in certain environments, such as a hospital setting, this may result in patients or doctors not having access to a gas. This presents a potentially dangerous situation and may require planning to ensure that alternative sources, such as portable tanks, are available to those who need them.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other disadvantages inherent in the prior art.